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Neon Indian is the brainchild of Alan Palomo, the Mexican-born, Texas-raised, 21-year-old synth-wizard who learned his production chops as part of Ghosthustler and honed them as VEGA. In October 2009 Neon Indian released his critically heralded debut album “Psychic Chasms” which not only earned the 20 year-old a place on numerous year-end lists, but assisted the forming of a genre that, though known by a few names now (hypnagogic pop, glo-fi, chillwave), summoned a very unique and specific electro-mangled sound. NME, Pitchfork, Dazed, Rolling Stone and the Fly all praised Palomo for his adventurous new sound and he was invited to open for bands ranging from Massive Attack and The Flaming Lips toPhoenixand Chromeo.

After nearly two years on the road following the success of his debut, Palomo returned last autumn with his proper follow-up LP, “Era Extraña”. This time around, we see a darker shaded sound document that tosses somewhere between an 8-bit shoegaze record and peering through the fence of a teenage apocalypse drive-in flick. Written and recorded last winter an apartment inHelsinki,Finlandduring its short solstice days, Era Extraña was ice sculpted from arpeggiated synth-scapes and scribbled journal entries made during his stint there alone in constant solitude.

The album’s Spanish title plays with the loose-hinges of the word extraña, which not only directly translates into 'strange', but also means to 'command the act of longing'. These themes of feeling an eerie absence in strange new times are explored throughout the album as a whole in his teenage-ethos-peppered lyrical musings in an end-days obsessed climate.

CHROMATICS

Taking a cross section from 70s horror films, a fixation with ancient societies, and a love for percussive electronic music, founding member, Adam Miller, hooked up with Johnny Jewel in the summer of 2004. During the summer of 2006, Chromatics welcomed Ruth Radelet on lead vocals, and Nat Walker on percussion and saxophone.

Five years after the release of their incredibly prescient ‘Night Drive’ album, on February 11th 2012 the band leaked a second track from their upcoming ‘Kill for Love’ album, "Into the Black." Following up their second leak with three additional tracks, "Lady," "Candy" and their fifth leak "Back from the Grave."

In a live setting, Chromatics keep it minimal. The synthesizers handle the Cosmic elements, the guitar takes care of the moodier edge, and the drums are stripped down to a dirty disco for dancing.

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